Natural Doctrine Producer Talks Evolving SRPGs and Multiplayer

Natural Doctrine will be Kadokawa Games’ first internally developed title, a Strategy RPG with a punishing feature that takes you to the game over screen should a character fall in battle. Producer Kensuke Tanaka is quite passionate about the SRPG genre, and talks about it in a PS4 Creator’s Interview.

“To me, SRPGs contain the enjoyment and excitement of a role-playing game, along with the need to think and strategize and the fun of wits you get from a strategy game,” starts Tanaka. “I think it’s a wonderful genre that puts emotion and intellect together. It’s exciting as you play it and it makes you want to advance. Having difficulty in advancing and struggling is, in a way, part of the fun.”

“Instead of keeping things the same way they’ve been [as far as SRPGs go], we’d like to evolve things a bit and challenge ourselves as we try making something different. That’s what Natural Doctrine is about.”

Tanaka then talks about how they’d like to make changes in terms of things like systems, ways to progress, battlefields, and strategizing with Natural Doctrine.

For example, most SRPGs have had similar approaches in fields and maps, and it’s one of the things Tanaka would like to change, even if it’s little at a time with Natural Doctrine. The battle system will be turn-based, but it’s also another one of the things he’d like to make different from the others.

“I believe that the PlayStation 4 has a lot of potential in it,” says Tanaka. “Online [features] will be a big key to it. I believe that designing online features for an SRPG could bring new possibilities and ways to enjoy the game. “

“When you enjoy an SRPG, you really get into it as you strategize and advance through the game, which is a given, as you’ll be doing that on your own with the story in single player mode,” explains Tanaka. “With your acquired player skills, there will be the multiplayer mode, where you’ll be able to compete with other players.”

“I believe that’s about a good half of this game’s appeal. At least, that’s what we keep in mind while developing the game,” he continues. “Of course you’ll be able to cooperate with other players to take on tough enemies. Part of the fun will be about seeing how you fare against other players with your honed tactics and strategies.”

Since Natural Doctrine will have a cross-save feature, Tanaka believes that this will be a perfect game for you to enjoy the world of SRPG at the comfort of your home on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3, then maybe take it out on your PlayStation Vita if a certain strategy comes to mind when you’ve been stuck.

Says Tanaka, “We’re actually preparing a very reasonable package for Natural Doctrine called ‘Take-out Pack,’ that will allow you to play to your heart’s content on the PlayStation 4 at home, and on the Vita when you need to head out. This package will be greatly advantageous compared to having just a regular copy, and it’d bring me great pleasure to have you guys seamlessly play on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.”

Finally, the producer concludes the video with a message for fans.

Tanaka: “To all PlayStation players out there, and all of you who are interested in SRPGs, it’d make me happy to see you guys try it out for yourselves and think ‘wow, there are such ways of doing things!’ and I believe that those who participated in this project feel the same way. I really look forward to having you guys try out this new SRPG.”

Natural Doctrine is slated for release on March 19, 2014 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita.

Losing if a character falls is actually pretty terrible if you think about it. The reason fire emblem works is that you can choose to go on and leave a person dead. Having it just go to game over just discourages any risky strategy and sounds like it will be just frustrating, I hope they will have a mode to disable it.

deadMastershiro

I know it makes the game easier but leaving a person behind is just not an option for me.

James

The point is with fire emblem you are resetting because you want to save everyone, not because you are being forced to.

Laer_HeiSeiRyuu

Yes, but if certain people die in fire emblem, you unlock other characters to take along with you

Kai2591

Me neither.

Earthjolly

This game is being made by the guy who made fucking Patapon. You can bet this game will be awesome

neocatzon

Really? Didn’t realize that.. I don’t like Patapon 3 but Patapon was one the best series mixing rhythm and action game.

Prinny Dood

So when is it coming to the us of a

Kai2591

I’m interested in this game because the gameplay seems to be similar to Valkyria Chronicles and XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but I just hope they improve the graphics because they looked real bad…

valkyrie

Can’t wait to get this game once it’s released alongside Yakuza Ishin and Nobunaga Souzou! Exciting times for the PS4!

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